Adderhead's Tortures
by The Dark Knight's Revenge
Summary: Meggie and Dustfinger are caught by the Adderhead, and Dustfinger only makes it worse. Can he repent when Meggie is tortured before his eyes? Can their love stand the dungeon and beyond?
1. Chapter 1

Meggie sighed, watching Dustfinger pace angrily around their tiny cell. The walls echoed with his footsteps on the cold stones. Somewhere something dripped incessantly.

"Why does this always happen when I bring you anywhere?" He growled as he went, not looking at her. He had been saying similar things for the past five minutes, and now Meggie felt close to the brink of tears.

"You know-" Meggie tried to defend herself, but Dustfinger cut right over her.

"Next time we go out on a mission, you'll be someone else's problem!" Dustfinger yelled. Meggie froze, a single tear leaking down her cheek and dripping to the frozen floor.

"You think I'm a problem?" Meggie whispered, her brown eyes filled with hurt.

"No, Meggie, god, i'm-" Dustfinger realized his mistake and tried to remedy it, stumbling over himself when he realized how his words had cut his companion.

"It's all right Dustfinger, when the guards come back, I'll tell them the necessary things to get you out of here" Meggie said calmly before turning her back to him and sitting down. They remained in silence after that.

Hours seemed to pass, but being without a window or door to judge the time, Meggie couldn't be sure. The cell got colder as time progressed, and soon Meggie could feel herself shivering. Sleep didn't come easy at any point, so she was resorted to counting the seconds.

At some point that could have been morning, two of their guards tromped in. One unlocked the cell, and the other set down a tray of food.

"Ready to talk yet?" One asked in a gruff voice. Meggie stepped forwards, following the guard out. The other stayed behind to lock the door.

"Guess the little missy wasn't so loyal to you in the end." He chuckled before leaving the room.

Dustfinger leaned against the bars of the cell, wishing for the world he was with Meggie in the other room, even if it meant his torture. Nothing else could compare to the hurt he had seen in Meggie's eyes.

* * *

><p>Meggie swallowed her fear as she was led up to the Adderhead's throne room. She quickly began rehearsing the lie she had been making up all night.<p>

She would tell the Adderhead that Dustfinger was only her bodyguard, and that she had been carrying secret plans for the resistance's next meeting council. Dustfinger was innocent, and she was the only one who knew about the plans.

When Dustfinger was set free, she would tell the soldiers the last location the council had been and beg herself off as a poor prostitute. Hopefully, it was good enough to just work.

"Well, well..." The Adderhead drawled as she approached his throne. "A little bird got caught in my snare."

Meggie bit her lips to keep from making a smart comment to him and put on her best scared girl impression.

"Please, sir. I just want to get on home, me and my friend both... I'll tell you everything." So far, so good.

"Do go on" The Adderhead replied.

"Well, you see... My friend in the dungeon's just my bodyguard. He doesn't know anything, honest. He's as dumb as a rock." Some of the guards chuckled.

"It was me all along, I was given some plans to take between resistance camps... They thought you'd never capture a poor old hustler like me." Meggie continued, praying he would fall for it with every word.

"I see" The Adderhead said tonelessly, his eyes surveying her body. "You're a bit young, to be learning those ways, but it's a rough world." Meggie nodded, eyes wide in what she hoped looked like a sad puppy dog expression.

"I, however, know better."

Meggie's heart dropped.

"Oh yes, little girl... Did you think I was stupid? Did you think I would fall for your lies? I know very well who you are, Meggie Silvertongue."

Meggie began to back up as the Adderhead got off his throne, seemingly growing larger as he advanced.

"Now that I know what a little snake you are, I will make you pay... And your friend too."

Meggie was seized from behind, the guards wrenching her arms as they dragged her out of the hall.

"Enjoy your stay." The Adderhead said nastily as Meggie disappeared with a shriek of pain.


	2. Chapter 2

Dustfinger let his head fall back against the cold stone for the millionth time, the jolt of cold pain barely registering anymore.

Hours had passed since Meggie had been led out the cell and he'd seen hide nor hair of anyone since. No sound came from the dark dungeon or the castle upstairs, save for that incessant dripping...

The food that had been laid down for them was beyond disgusting; moldy bread covered in weevils and dirt alongside a scummy cup of water.

There was a crash from upstairs that signalled the gate to the dungeons opening and closing. Dustfinger shuffled into an upright position. He waited expectantly by the door.

A guard stumped in, carrying a small body at an awkward angle in his arms. Dustfinger gagged as he recognized Meggie's red hair stained even darker with some substance he didn't want to think about.

The guard brought her down the hall and tossed her unceremoniously into the cell next to Dustfinger's. Dustfinger followed, clinging the the cell bars for support as the earth seemed to give out from under him.

It hadn't worked. Meggie had tried to protect him and the Adderhead had tortured her anyways in an attempt to crack him.

"Meggie..." He whispered, sliding down the bars and straining his arm through the bars. His shoulder screamed in agony as he tried to force the joint through. Dustfinger growled and grabbed onto the bars, practically screaming for the fire to help him bend the bars. The fire jumped to his will but flicked harmlessly around the bars.

He howled in anguish, panting from the effort.

"Meggie, please." He groaned.

Silence fell over the castle except for the dripping. Dustfinger stared through the bars at Meggie's still form. Hours began to pass. A rat scuttled across the floor.

After what seemed to be an eternity, Meggie's hand twitched. Dustfinger watched it like a hawk.

After a moment, she moved again. Her eyelids fluttered. He barely dared breathe. Meggie coughed, then her eyes flew open.

"Meggie!" He gasped.

"Dustfinger!" She cried, launching herself towards the bars separating them. He pushed his arms through the bars so that she could hug him.

"What happened up there?" Dustfinger asked after Meggie released him.

"The Adderhead saw through our lie," Meggie said bitterly. "he knows who we are."

Dustfinger sat back on his heels, chewing his lip. Meggie began tying her hair up in a knot on her head.

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.

"Did he hurt you?" Dustfinger asked quietly.

"Yes." Meggie said unflinchingly. "He had his guards knock me senseless." She finished with her hair. Dustfinger noticed that her movements were stiff.

"He didn't... let them touch you, did he?" Dustfinger asked carefully. Meggie flushed.

"No, but I wouldn't put it past him in the future." She replied

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.

Meggie probed her ribs, wincing. Then she shivered.

"Come here." Dustfinger said. Meggie inched towards him so that she was sitting with her knees flush against the bars. Dustfinger whispered a flame in between them. It was small, but it gave off enough light and heat to take the edge off their surroundings.

"About what I said earlier..." Dustfinger began.

"I don't want to hear it, it's past us now." Meggie said, face darkening despite her words. Dustfinger shut his mouth uneasily. Meggie sighed and leaned her head against the bars.

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.

"Did you see what time of day it was while you were up there?" Dustfinger asked, feeling awkward.

"No. The castle is kept dark too." Meggie replied shortly.

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.

"Best get some rest then." He tried again.

"Yes." She replied.

Dustfinger whispered the flame out and moved to stretch out on the floor, but then thought better of it. He stood and divested himself of his trenchcoat, passing it through the bars to Meggie.

"Here, it'll keep you warm."

"What about you?"

"I'll manage."

They lay down on the cold stones. Dustfinger was asleep in an instant, but Meggie was unable to drift off.

When had the tables turned between her and Dustfinger? Their friendship had always been steadfast, even through all the dangers they'd faced. Dustfinger was her protector, more in tune to her thoughts than even Mo was now.

Which wasn't hard. Mo was off in the clouds most of the time now anyways.

Meggie blinked hard and wrapped herself tighter in Dustfinger's jacket. Did Mo even know that her and Dustfinger had been captured?

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.


End file.
